Hapcheon Jungsan-dong Tomb I Identified as a Goryeo Dynasty Stone Chamber Tomb

Providing Important Data for the Study of Local Tomb Styles in the Goryeo Dynasty

Jungsan-dong Tomb I Interior view of the stone chamber from the Goryeo period [Image source=Hapcheon-gun]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] The Korea Cultural Heritage Association has been selected for the '2021 Academic Excavation Survey Activation Project for Undesignated Buried Cultural Properties' to reveal the historical and academic value of undesignated buried cultural properties, and has been conducting excavation surveys of Hapcheon Jungsandong Tomb I since April.

Hapcheon Jungsandong Tomb I is located in Hasin-ri, Ssangchaek-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, and along with the adjacent Jungsandong Tomb II, it is an undesignated cultural heritage site known as a Gaya period tomb cluster through several surface surveys conducted so far.

In particular, the tomb's structure is in the form of a horizontal stone chamber tomb (橫口式石室墳), a type that has raised the possibility of connections with Gaya tombs or Baekje region tombs.

Through this investigation, the burial mound and its surroundings revealed paving stones and curved walls.

Hapcheon Jungsandong Tomb I is located at an elevation of 55 meters on the southern slope of a ridge extending southeast from Siribong Peak, which stands at 408.1 meters above sea level. The burial mound is square-shaped, constructed by stacking broken stones, measuring 465 cm in length, 280 cm in width, and 110 cm in remaining height, and is in good condition.

Drainage facilities paved with thin and wide broken stones (薄石) were confirmed around the burial mound, and on the northwest edge, part of a curved wall (曲墻), a fence built behind the tomb, remains. This is judged to be a typical form of a Goryeo Dynasty tomb with paving stones and a curved wall.

In front of the entrance to the stone chamber tomb, a single row of stone retaining walls presumed to be a worship platform was identified, and the tomb path (墓道) is a pit-type dug into weathered bedrock, which appears to have been filled with soil after burial.

The form of the tomb path's stone retaining walls is also found in royal-level tombs such as Gareung and Gonreung in Ganghwa-do.

The stone chamber tomb has a horizontal entrance type with a door to enter the burial chamber, and doorpost stones (門柱石), lintel stones (門楣石), and door slab stones (門扉石) were identified.

The stone chamber tomb measures 260 cm in length, 140 cm in width, and 160 cm in height, making it one of the largest among local Goryeo Dynasty tombs. Although it suffered from grave robbery, it remains largely intact. Inside, four coffin nails and one piece of celadon were found.

Through this excavation survey, Hapcheon Jungsandong Tomb I was confirmed to be a Goryeo Dynasty tomb, and based on this investigation, Jungsandong Tomb II on the inner slope of the western valley is also presumed to be a Goryeo Dynasty tomb.

Additionally, a similar structure has been confirmed in the Goryeo Dynasty burial cluster in Sangsin-ri, located 1.2 km away to the north along the ridge, providing important data to clarify the tomb styles of the Hapcheon region during the Goryeo period.

A county official stated, “The excavation survey results can be confirmed at an academic advisory meeting and on-site open event at the excavation site at 2 p.m. on the 16th,” adding, “Taking this excavation as an opportunity, we plan to continue supporting undesignated buried cultural properties in Hapcheon to restore the county’s historical culture.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.